Competition law and economics

Service Description
Awards AnD Media
Team

Our lawyers and economists understand the complexity of the issues faced by undertakings in the competitive environment. We are prepared to assist clients in finding solutions that are safe and, at the same time, as non-restrictive as possible. We are aware that competition authorities apply competition law using a more economic approach; we accommodate our advice accordingly.

Competition Law

The team of our dedicated competition specialists is one of the largest, most experienced and fastest growing in the Czech Republic and Slovakia, comprising more than 20 lawyers and economists. We know how competition authorities think: Our expert team includes a former vice-chairman of the Czech Office for the Protection of Competition (the “Office”), a former long-term director of the executive department of the Office, a former chief economist of the Office and of the Slovak Antimonopoly Office, and a former senior lawyer of the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Competition.

We advise clients on matters relating to merger controls in the Czech and Slovak Republics and in proceedings before the European Commission. We also advise clients that enjoy a dominant market position and give recommendations on contractual and other relationships among businesses with potential competition implications. We have also advised our clients on proceedings before the General Court in Luxembourg.

Together with our clients, we are well aware of the importance of prevention of unintentional breach of competition rules. We prepare and advise on the implementation of competition and antitrust compliance programmes and also carry out competition due diligence of both existing and planned business projects and strategies.

The scope of our services relating to competition law includes:

  • Representing clients before the respective competition authorities
  • Advisory on current or planned business policy (competition due diligence and reviews)
  • The design, implementation and due diligence of competition compliance programmes
  • Advisory on the specifics of proceedings before competition authorities
  • Personalised workshops
  • Representing clients in actions for damages incurred through anticompetitive practices

in the following areas:

  • Cartel issues
  • Vertical agreements
  • Joint ventures
  • Dominant position
  • Concentration of undertakings
  • State aid
  • Abuse of market power

Competition Economics

The combination of high quality legal and economic advice in one package provides our clients with the most efficient manner in which how to tackle complex antitrust and regulatory challenges.

Many legal, regulatory and strategic issues contain important underlying economic principles. Understanding of economic fundamentals is often a key to resolving such issues. We use economic theory, underpinned by quantitative methods to assist companies, regulators and lawyers to elucidate the complex questions emerging in legal, regulatory and strategic context.

We offer objective and approachable advice based on economic arguments in a number of competencies.

  • competition law and policy
  • regulation
  • commercial disputes - damage claims
  • business strategy and valuation

Competition law and policy

Competition law  is based on economics. Competition authorities, regulators and companies follow the implications of economic theory – their teams comprise both lawyers as well as economists. We provide our clients with economic arguments underpinned by quantitative evidence, both stemming from established case law and following state of art theory to support them to make the right business decision or to defend them in an antitrust investigation.

Regulation

A regulation has an impact on the decisions of businesses in telco, energy, transport and many other areas. It is important for companies to understand and comply with the regulatory environment in a way which allows maximizing their profitability and growth. In the same vein, regulators need to understand how to devise and implement the policy to meet their objectives.

Commercial disputes - damage claims

Disputes often comprise complex economic issues. Economic analysis and financial modelling are the key instruments with which to tackle them. Insight into the assessment of profits, prices and asset values allows for the estimation of economic losses, which is the focal point of any commercial dispute.

Business strategy and valuation

We help our clients to understand market dynamics and outcomes to which a strategic decision is likely to lead. Understanding the competition in the market is the key element to devise an optimal pricing structure. We provide insight into how your customers and competitors react to changes in strategic variables such as price, investment and innovation.

Czech Law Firm of the Year in the Competition law category (2013, 2015–2017, 2020).
The firm is constantly ranked among the most recommended
(top tier) law firms in the Czech Republic.

Pfr Cr En Oborove

Havel & Partners advised JSK Investments s.r.o. and its shareholders Simona and Jaromír Kijonka on the sale of a stake in Packeta s.r.o. Packeta is the parent company of a major domestic technology and logistics company, Zásilkovna, which operates not only on the Czech market but also in other EU countries. This is one of […]
Robert Neruda, a partner at the law firm HAVEL & PARTNERS, was the only one in his field from the Czech Republic (and Slovakia) to be included in the most elite group of the world’s best lawyers in the list of WWL Thought Leaders: Global Elite 2024, published by the prestigious rating organisation Who´s Who […]
HAVEL & PARTNERS contributed to the Chambers and Partners Merger Control 2023 Global Practice Guide We are proud to announce our contribution to the Merger Control 2023 global practice guide, a comprehensive resource that delves into merger control regimes spanning multiple jurisdictions worldwide. Among leading law firms covering other jurisdictions, our team lead by Robert […]
HAVEL & PARTNERS experts provided comprehensive legal advice to Ochranný svaz autorský (OSA), which administers the copyrights of Czech and foreign authors of audio and audio-visual recordings, in a dispute with the Office for Competition Protection (Office). The Office imposed a fine of CZK 10.7 million on OSA for alleged abuse of dominant position. The […]
HAVEL & PARTNERS, the largest Czech-Slovak law firm, won the main award in the International Law Firm category and also won the Competition and Health Law categories in the 11th annual Law Firm of the Year 2023 competition in Slovakia. In 11 other categories, it ranked among the top-ranked law firms. The official announcement of […]
In the TOP 10 largest law firms ranking, which is compiled by the SME daily and The Slovak Spectator according to combined measurable criteria, HAVEL & PARTNERS is the largest Czech law firm, the third largest regional law firm, and the fifth largest law firm active on the Slovak market. In addition, this year it […]
The Slovak Antimonopoly Office imposed commitments on Slovenská pošta. This conclusion means that after four years of investigation and administrative proceedings, the AMO has proceeded to an amicable solution in the form of commitments and has imposed no fine on Slovenská pošta. The AMO suspected Slovenská pošta of abusing its dominant position in the field […]
HAVEL & PARTNERS provided comprehensive competition law advice to refining and petrochemical company ORLEN Unipetrol in its representation before the AMO (the Slovak Antimonopoly Office). After a detailed analysis of local markets the Slovak Antimonopoly Office approved ORLEN Unipetrol's acquisition of control over OLIVA petrol stations without further conditions. The company was represented by our […]
HAVEL & PARTNERS, in cooperation with the Brussels office of US law firm Jones Day, provided comprehensive legal advice to T-Mobile in the European Commission proceedings. The European Commission conducted an investigation into the suspicion of a possible restriction of competition due to T-Mobile’s agreement with CETIN and O2 to share mobile network infrastructure and […]
What? One of the common types of distribution agreements are selective distribution agreements. In a system of selective distribution, the supplier undertakes to sell the contract goods or services, either directly or indirectly, only to distributors selected on the basis of specified criteria and these distributors undertake not to sell such goods or services to […]
In the 10th annual Law Firm of the Year 2022 competition, the largest Czech-Slovak law firm HAVEL & PARTNERS won the main award in the International Law Firm category, and also won the Best Client Service category for the third time in a row. In addition, it also defended its first place in the Competition […]
What? Dual distribution occurs where a supplier sells goods or services both directly and through independent distributors, thereby competing with these independent distributors on the downstream market. A classic example would be that of a manufacturer of a clothing brand who sells these clothes in his own stores but also relies upon independent retailers to […]
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